Goodbye's Don't Have To Last Forever
by Venelope Von Schweets
Summary: If he truly loved her, he'd let her go. But what's to say she wanted to return to him when she can't? A very depressing story about two loves parting. Rating may change if I choose to go that route.
1. Chapter 1

_I decided to make something a little depressing... BUT IT GETS BETTER! hopefully..._

A few months have passed since our gracious heroes have beaten Jack, the Warrior, and Hyperion itself. Normal chaos resumed between the psychotic and the slightly saner beings as if nothing had disturbed the already disturbed planet. Sanctuary grew stronger as people that had once been controlled by Jack fled to the floating city. Some have even said that Sanctuary was Pandora's heaven, but with no real threat hovering over everyone's heads, even the make-shift heavens can split apart with time. Maya had decided to reside with Lilith in her Firehawk lair, since Maya's only related family was with the red Siren. Mordecai had retaken his post out in Tundra Express, aided by Zer0 most of the time. Salvador had decided to return home with no hesitation. Axton took on the role of leader at Sanctuary, whereas the other Vault Hunters in close proximity agreed on mutual leadership. Gaige had stayed in Sanctuary, since it was the only place she could really talk to her dad without losing a signal. Kreig was living amongst the other cult members that had followed the two Sirens and Maya would make time to see him when the other cult members weren't around.

The appearance of the other Vaults were taken care of by Brick and his endless army of Slabs. After all, he did call dibs. Everyone didn't doubt his abilities to take care of what was inside, but were worried about the unsuspecting victims that would say the wrong thing at the wrong time to the Slab King. He would give regular progress updates to everyone and ask about how everything's going. All seemed too calm to our favorite cold-blooded assassin, but that wasn't the problem with Zer0.

On the few occasions when he's in Sanctuary, he would run into Gaige, or more accurately go looking for her, and they would talk and share a pizza and drink. She would update him on her latest adventures with either Tina or Death Trap while he would listen intently. He enjoyed the weekly ritual they had set up subconsciously, but his gut told him that it would all end eventually.

One night, as rain had started to pour into the streets of Sanctuary, Gaige had sat in front of him in Moxxi's bar with a mix of excitement and sadness. Zer0 had tilted his head at her as she cleared her throat.

"H-how's it goin'?" She asked. She didn't meet his face, which arose a wave of panic in Zer0's chest.

_"Everything is fine/_

_Nothing exciting happened/_

_You're worrying me."_ The masked-man had blurted out. His haiku's weren't really effective in everyday conversation.

"What do you mean?" Gaige asked as her head snapped up to him. Her eyebrows were scrunched together and she leaned forward as if Zer0 would display his meaning on his helmet. Zer0 sighed and leaned closer so no other person could hear.

_"You're not acting like you normally do." _He muttered, his hands reaching under the table to find hers. Her breath hitched in her throat as his eight fingers found her hands.

"I have good news. Well, good for me, kinda bad for you." Gaige said with a shrug. She pulled her hands away from Zer0's before putting them on the table in an invitation for him to take them again. He did so and felt a pang of panic and worry.

_"Please tell." _Zer0 practically begged. Gaige sighed and hung her head, her long red hair brushing the table.

"My dad got a shuttle for me to come back home. I leave tomorrow morning." Gaige said as a single tear slid down her pink cheeks and onto the ring-stained tables of the booth. Zer0 reached a careful had towards her and wiped the tracks of the tear away with the pad of his gloved thumb. She looked up with reddening eyes and lashes stuck together in clumps. She bit her lip in worry for a moment before Zer0 had placed a finger on her chin and gently pried her lip from her teeth with his thumb.

_"We can make the best of it." _Zer0 said simply as he slid out of the booth and held his hand out to the Mechromancer. She took it and Zer0 lead her out of the bar.

They walked through the Arid Badlands with the stars glistening above their heads. They talked for hours, wandering the deserted area hand in hand. Zer0 had opened up about himself as much as he was comfortable with and Gaige was equally grateful and shocked with his words. The sun had started to make it's way up over the horizon and both bad-asses made their way to Sanctuary.

Once safely inside the floating city, Zer0 accompanied Gaige to her rather small apartment and helped the girl pack. She had very few items to pack away since she had distributed her weapons to everyone. Her bags were placed by the front door at the foot of her bed.

"I don't have to leave for another four hours. Maybe we could just stay here?" Gaige asked Zer0 as he leaned against the wall, trying to control the range of upset emotions he was feeling. Zer0 nodded as Gaige laid down on her bed for the last time. She raised her head at him and motioned to join her. Zer0 steadied himself before pushing himself off of the dingy wall to walk towards the bed. He propped his back on the backboard of the bed and crossed his ankles. Gaige scooted closer and placed her head on his chest, her fingers snaking their way down his arm to his palm. Their fingers entwined and Zer0 felt the young girl- young woman- shaking with sadness as she clung to him with her free arm. He wrapped his other arm around her shoulders and held her close, feeling hot tears prickle at his eyes. He untangled their fingers and removed his helmet and placed it on the bare wooden nightstand. Gaige looked up and ran her eyes over his exposed face.

His hair was long and curled at the ends. It was pure black and felt soft to the touch. His face had only two scars: one running from the center of his cheek to the corner of his mouth and one right through his left eyebrow. His skin was pale and smooth and his eyes were green with wisps of blue around the iris. He ran his knuckles against the side of Gaige's face before place a finger gently under her chin. He brought her face up to his before pulling close so their lips would meet. After a moment, they pulled back with their foreheads pressed together.

"I'll miss you." Gaige whimpered slightly.

"I would miss you more." Zer0 said after finding his voice. "After helping you walk through the snow after the train detonated, you were like a beautiful flower growing amongst the flurries of white and the carnage that stained the ground before me." He said before pressing his lips to hers once more. Their lips seemed to dance together, their arms wrapped protectively around once another.

Time didn't seem to hesitate in speeding to dawn. Zer0 had held Gaige close and wished that she wouldn't have to leave. As the sun started to rise, Gaige raised her head and new tears made their way from her red eyes. Zer0 looked down at her and felt tears of his own start to form. He held her in a close embrace.

"I'll find a way to be with you. You mean more to me than anything." Zer0 muttered. "I just can't go with you. The others need me." He said sadly. Gaige looked up at him and winced before giving a watery laugh.

"My dad wouldn't have really approved of you anyways." She said as she sat up. She gather her bags at the end of the bed and looked sadly at Zer0. "It's time to go." Zer0 stood up and grabbed his helmet. He held it in one hand and took Gaige's hand.

_I'm not sorry for making something depressing. I'm making this a two part story, so enjoy this cliffhanger because I'm evil! (Not really.)_


	2. Chapter 2

Days, weeks, months, it all seemed to run together in Zer0's mind. He felt like he got hit by a storm of bullets, yet there was no insta-health to cure the aches and pains. His heart seemed to be shattered and even the shards seemed to break apart. He hid his pain from the others, but Mordecai knew there was something wrong. Ever since Gaige left, Zer0 hasn't been to Sanctuary, even to talk to Axton about anything that needs to be done. He did everything over his ECHO, yet he hardly answered them back. He gave a silent or one-worded reply.

When Zer0 was passing through Tundra Express, Mordecai brought the scope of his rifle up to his eye and aimed several feet ahead of Zer0. He signaled Talon not to attack and fired. Zer0 snapped his head in Mordecai's direction and threw his hands up in exasperation. Mordecai motioned up to his Crow's Nest and Zer0 hung his head before making his way up.

_"I was doing a mission." _Zer0 said with a flat tone as soon as he made his way to the Hunter. Mordecai scoffed and put a hand on Zer0's shoulder.

"What's going on? You've seemed off for a while." Mordecai asked as his eyes traveled over the masked man's face. Zer0 went rigid for a moment before he fell to his knees and gave a quiet sob. Mordecai knelt down in front of him and watched as Zer0 removed his helmet and placed it on the metal platform. "Please talk to me buddy." Mordecai practically begged.

"I miss her. I miss everything about her. I'm a wreck and I can't understand why. I've never felt like this before." Zer0 said in one rush of air. Mordecai removed his goggles and stared hard at the assassin.

"I know how you feel." He said before pulling him into a hug. Zer0 accepted and felt tears slide down his cheeks. "I still feel the same way about Moxxi. Sometimes I wonder if she misses me." Mordecai admitted. He pushed Zer0 back a little bit and gave a small smile. "But now's not the time to get emotional. If you need her, let's go figure out how we can talk to her." Mordecai said as he lead the assassin to the nearest Fast Travel Station and plugged in the coordinates to Frostburn Canyon.

They weaved their way past the worshipers and cult followers and to the lair of the Firehawk and the Ice Phoenix. Lilith was sprawled out on a homemade throne that looked like it's skeletal structure was made from the bones of bandits and the psychotic. Maya was sitting on a less gruesome throne and had a book in her hands while leaning into Krieg as he wrapped his arms around the Siren's torso. All three had looked up and greeted them warmly in the cool lair.

"What brings you two here?" Maya asked as she bent the corner of her page and closed the book.

"We need to use the computers here to try and track where Gaige is." Mordecai said as he rubbed a hand subconsciously over the little skin exposed on his upper arm. "Jesus, it's colder than I thought." He muttered. Lilith raised an eyebrow at him and gave a snort of laughter.

"Why are you concerned about the kid?" Lilith asked as she leaned forward.

"Hey, it's for Zer0." Mordecai countered, walking closer to her. Maya crossed her arms and gave a sour pout. "You've always been quick to judge. Maybe that's why I-"

"Don't go there again!" Lilith yelled at Mordecai. She stared at him while her tattoos glowed slightly, but Mordecai didn't seem fazed at all. He looked back at Zer0 and motioned him closer.

"She won't kill ya." Mordecai said as Zer0 only moved a foot closer.

"Fine, but I have to help." Lilith said as she stood up from her throne. "These damned things don't work so well when it's cold." Lilith said as she made her way over to the computers.

"Why do you have them down here then?" Mordecai asked.

"Where else would I put them?" Lilith asked as if it were a stupid question to ask. Mordecai scoffed and stepped closer to the red Siren to help. Zer0 looked at them in interest while Mordecai and Lilith debated on how to search for the Mechromancer. While Zer0 was watching the two bicker and snarl at each other, Maya tapped Zer0 on the shoulder. He snapped his head at her and she retreated slightly.

"Sorry, but I thought I'd share something with you." She said as she walked back to her make-shift throne. Zer0 followed and she held up a dark blue book without a stitch of lettering to indicate what the hell the book was about. Zer0 flashed a question mark and Maya rolled her eyes. "There's a quote in this book that says if you truly love something, set it free. If it comes back, it was meant to be but if it doesn't, leave it be." She said in a hushed tone.

_"That is idiotic." _Zer0 said with a flat tone. Maya rolled her eyes once more and sighed.

"Maybe if Gaige did like you, then she would've tried to contact you." Maya tried to point out. Zer0 felt anger rise up from the depths of his heart and he clenched his fists.

_"If she did, the signal might not have gone through. There are possibilities to consider and you are brick that's dragging me down at this moment. I love her and she feels the same. Besides, you've never known what love truly is." _Zer0 spat at her. Maya felt the color leave her face as she stammered over her words.

"And you have?" She retorted after gathering her thoughts. "You know what love is?"

_"Yes." _He put simply. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. _"They were on different occasions in different times. There are reasons why I keep my past where it belongs." _Zer0 said. He turned to see if Lilith and Mordecai made any progress and felt a hand on his shoulder once more.

"But please consider what I've said?" Maya asked.

_"Maya, after going through the whole ordeal with Jack, Hyperion, and petty challenges, I've been slightly pessimistic that none of us would survive. After being proved wrong, I decided to look at things in a brighter light. I know we both hold some forms of a being love for one another and I want to help it blossom. Now please, shut up." _Zer0 said before walking closer to Lilith and Mordecai.

"Well, we've managed to pinpoint her ECHO location, but it won't give any coordinates." Lilith said as she crossed her arms and her brow furrowed in concentration. "It looks like it's in the middle of the Intergalactic Railway System, but that can't be right." She muttered.

_"Is it moving?" _Zer0 asked as he looked at the computer screens.

"I think so." Mordecai said as he leaned in closer. "Right there." He said as he pointed to a large white dot near Eden 5. Zer0 felt a flutter in his chest and smiled. They all sat in silence before Lilith gave a cry of happiness.

"It moved! She's moving away from Eden 5. But why?" Lilith asked. Zer0 and Mordecai exchanged a glance before turning their attentions back to the monitors.

"Maybe she's running away?" Mordecai offered.

"Nah, I don't think the kid would run away after being gone for almost a year." Lilith dismissed with a wave of her hand.

_"H-Hey! I-I'm not a K-Kid!" _Gaige's voice cried out. Everyone in the room jumped in surprise before they could figure out where her voice was coming from. Zer0 turned to his ECHO and saw her name and face flashing on the small screen.

"Zer0, go stand outside! Quick, before you lose her signal!" Lilith said as she ushered Zer0 towards the exit. He rushed out as quick as he could and held the ECHO up to his face.

_"Gaige! What are you doing?" _Zer0 asked with concern lacing his voice.

_"Coming back home, duh!" _She said with excitement.

_"Home?"_

_"Yeah! Eden 5 can't handle this awesome_ _badass." _She said. _"And they banned me from ever coming back, which I didn't know and neither did my dad, so now we're both on our way to Pandora! Isn't it awesome?" _She asked excitedly.

_"It is, but when will you get here?" _Zer0 asked.

_"About two days. Hopefully!" _She said as she crossed her fingers. _"I'll tell ya how I got banned when I get there. I'll be there in two days." _

_"I can't wait that long." _Zer0 said truthfully.

_"I can't either, but we have to." _She said with a pout. _"I gotta go. I love you." _She said as she blew a kiss and ended the transmission. Zer0 leaned against the entrance to the Lair, feeling a mix of emotions. He walked back inside and looked at everyone.

"So, what's going on?" Lilith asked in query. She had sat back in her throne while Mordecai leaned against the side of it. Maya was in her seat with Krieg while wearing a stricken expression.

_"She'll be here in two days." _Zer0 said as Lilith gave a cry of joy, Mordecai smiled, and Maya looked taken back for moment before smiling.

"Sorry I doubted it." She said she placed the book beside her throne. "Are you willing to wait that long?"

_"I have to, but it will be worth it."_ Zer0 said as he crossed his arms.

_**~x~x~x~x~x~**_

_**So, this will possibly be three parts (Maybe four, but we'll see) because I think it's good to end this portion here. **_

_**Please let me know what you think, what could be better, what should be left alone, and what not. **_


	3. Chapter 3

_I'm a bad person for making people wait so long. I'm sorry. _

_To be honest, some of the interactions are a little awkward because some of the humor actually happened to me (Gaige's dad disapproving of Zer0, Mordecai and Gaige's dad hating each other, and Zer0 reconnecting with Gaige. All are self explanatory.) _

Everyone was a buzz with excitement as the day Gaige would arrive finally came. Zer0 had been a nervous wreck for the past two days, worrying about the inevitable, whether it being her being killed or her not making it to Pandora in one piece. All the others have tried to bring him out of the slump he sunk in, but it wasn't doing any good. It made him think that they were trying to cover up the fact that it could happen.

The day Gaige was supposed to show up, and didn't, Zer0 started to fear for the worst. He kept checking his ECHO constantly, in the hopes that the red-headed Mechromancer would show up on the small screen. Each time he did though, his heart sank lower.

_"I'm going to see if I can find her." _Zer0 declared to the nearly silent room of the HQ. People urged him to, saying that maybe she didn't have a good enough signal to contact him. Zer0 had made his way out of the building, to the Fast Travel station, and started a list of places Gaige could've ended up in.

Hours had passed by and he was no closer to finding Gaige. His last place to look was Lynchwood, but it's since been abandoned. The others were thinking of reopening it and inviting some of the other sane minds to live there, since Sanctuary was becoming excessively crowded. As soon as his feet had touch the floor of the train station, something was clearly wrong. There were voices carrying through the town, loud and angry and almost demanding. Zer0 made his way to the top of the station and saw a train on the tracks in the middle of the shabby town.

"WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! GIVE US YOUR LOOT, AND WE WON'T HURT YOU!" A nomad had yelled out. Zer0 brought out a rifle and surveyed the area. Bandits and psychos alike were crowded around every possible entrance to the train, demanding to whoever was in there to come out.

"You'll have to drag us out if you want it so damn bad!" A man's voice carried out from the train. Zer0 looked into the windows through the scope of my gun and saw Gaige was there, looking worried and scared.

"IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!" The same nomad demanded. The man didn't say anything, so the Nomad began to count. Zer0 took the opportunity to line up the cross-hairs of his rifle on the Nomad's head, ready to pull the trigger as soon as he made it to three. Once the Nomad made his count, Zer0 pulled the trigger, and all that was heard was the bullet tearing through the air and the Nomad's body thud on the ground. The other bandits tried to find the source of their leader's death, when more shots were fired, more blood was splattered, and more than satisfactory deaths were done by Zer0.

He stood up and scouted the surrounding areas, trying to find a source of any surprise attacks. Once the area was secured, Zer0 walked to the train and up to a pair of battered and beaten doors. He tapped them three times with his knuckles and waited for a reply.

"Who is it this time?" The same gruff voice called out. Zer0 waited for a moment before clearing his throat.

_"I'm Zer0." _He spoke as loud as his will would allow him to. There were a few heartbeats of silence before the train doors slid open.

"You're Zer0?" The man asked. His hair was brown and short, but his eyes and the way his mouth was curved at the corners were strikingly similar to Gaige's features. Zer0 gave a slight nod before the man grew a wide grin. "Well, I've heard more than I should have about you."

"Dad!" Gaige whined from inside the train. Her father laughed and Zer0 felt uneasy. He took the man in and declared to himself that he would rather be staying a rather good distance from that man. Something about him really put Zer0 on edge.

"You know I'm kidding, right?" He called back. Gaige walked out and looked up at Zer0 with shining green eyes. "I'm Micheal, by the way." Gaige's dad said as he extended a hand to Zer0. Zer0 looked at the hand in question and slowly took it, shaking it once before retreating his hand. Gaige and Zer0 stared at each other in longing while Micheal rattled on about how shabby this town was and where they should be if they wanted to be safe. Micheal turned to the two and shook his head. He stepped out of the way and allowed Gaige to run towards Zer0 with out-stretched arms. Zer0 held her close while Gaige sobbed into his shoulder while her dad looked from the side with a questioning look on his face.

"God, I've missed you entirely too much!" Gaige sniffed, bringing her face up to breath and to wipe the tears away.

_"You have no idea." _Zer0 muttered.

"Okay! I think that's enough hugging." Micheal declared. Gaige turned and gave her father a glare, but he shrugged it off. Zer0 returned his arms to his sides at once and saw Micheal relax for a moment. Without warning, the sounds of guns, explosives, and bandits filled the nearly silent air. Gaige and Micheal retreated to the safety of the train while Zer0 turned to face the monstrous horde. They all stopped right in frontZer0 before charging forward. Zer0 wasn't prepared, but luck and miracle were working hand in hand for him as cracks of bullets broke through the air and onto the horde. Zer0 searched desperately for the source of the gun fire, but had other matters to attend to. Zer0 rushed into the dwindling horde with katana in hand, slicing at any enemy that turned their ugly brute head to him. Slowly, but surely, the horde was completely defeated and no one made any sound.

_"You're lucky we're friends, or else I would've left you and your girlfriend to die." _Mordecai said through Zer0's ECHO. Zer0 shook his head and laughed, knowing that even if they weren't friends, he would've helped Zer0. He made his way to the train, where Mordecai was already standing next to the partially open doors.

_"You're okay." _Zer0 called out. Mordecai smirked at him before stepping away. Gaige and Micheal stepped out and Micheal had a sour look on his face.

"Who's this?" He demanded as he turned to Mordecai. Mordecai raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Don't worry, I don't have a thing for your weird offspring." Mordecai said as he put his hands up while Micheal looked on at the Hunter in disgust. Gaige rolled her eyes from behind her dad and stepped forward.

"Dad, that's Mordecai. Mordecai, this is my dad Micheal." Gaige introduced to avoid any conflict. She sighed in defeat when both men didn't lent up in their death-glare-match. Zer0 smirked from beneath his helmet and motioned the other two closer.

_"We might want to go to Sanctuary. I don't know how many more enemies could be out there." _Zer0 said as he ushered everyone to the Fast Travel Station. Micheal and Mordecai reluctantly followed, but stayed a distance from one another. Once all four members were safely secure in the floating city, Mordecai practically took off at a run to Moxxi's in an attempt to get away from Micheal. Gaige kept thunking the heel of her hand against her forehead when Mordecai and her dad bickered under their breaths towards each other all the way through the blue-purple wormhole. Zer0 lead both Gaige and Micheal to the HQ, where he would gladly tell everyone that Gaige was home and brought family with.

As soon as Zer0 pushed the door open, Krieg bounded down the stairs and roaring in delight. Zer0 immediately stepped in front of the charging brute, who skidded to a halt. He looked down at the three, his one exposed eye crinkling up in happiness.

"ROBO AND FRIENDS!" Krieg howled as he scooped up everyone in a bone-crushing hug. Gaige squealed, Zer0 grunted, and Micheal sounded like he was dying.

"Good to see you too, Krieg!" Gaige cheered. The psycho let everyone down gently and lead the way upstairs. Micheal held his ribs and groaned, asking the others to wait up. Gaige walked ahead of Zer0 and Zer0 decided to help Micheal up the stairs. As soon as he walked over to Micheal, Micheal grew a sour face.

"No, get away." He hissed in pain and irritation. Zer0 stood up and stared at the struggling man. Zer0 watched in near amusement as Micheal couldn't even take a step towards the stairs without grimacing in complete and utter pain. Micheal finally stopped and looked at Zer0 with regret. "Can you help me? That brute probably cracked a rib or something." He said as Zer0 wrapped an arm under Micheal's arms.

Once both parties made it up the stairs, they were greeted loudly by the others, well, all except Mordecai, who was probably still at Moxxi's. Zer0 gently sat Micheal in an unoccupied chair and stood at a distance. Something about that man really put the Assassin on edge. Maybe it was the fact that he was Gaige's father, and there was no wrath like a father's. He knew that from experience. Hell, all of the Vault Hunters knew that.

Everyone was happy that Gaige was home, happy that she was going to be staying on Pandora, and happy that she can finally be with Zer0. That is, if Micheal would let up on his death glare currently fixed on the Number. Gaige decided to tell why she has to stay on Pandora for the rest of her life, settling in the middle of the others.

"So, when I get home, daddy's waiting for me at the Train Station, but as soon as I took one step off of the train, police and those stupid imitations of Death Trap were surrounding me and my dad. We ran off while they shot at us and my dad his me in the basement. I tried to contact you guys, but that damned concrete prison didn't let anything go in or out.

"I hid in that house for months when the police finally got a search warrant to come inside and get me. My dad and I fled to the outskirts of our town and finally into the deserts. We were lost for quite a while, but this weird guy said he could get us back home. I mean this guy was weird! He smelled like herbs, his van was decked out in bright colors and shaggy carpets, and looked like he never knew he could change his clothes. So, we said no at first, but then he said he could give us money to get off of Eden 5, so we took it.

"God, it was awful! We were stuck at Lynchwood for hours! We could've been dead if it weren't for Zer0 and Mordecai." Gaige finished. Everyone rattled off how happy they were for Gaige and her father to be here in one piece, that she was lucky Zer0 cared so much for her, and that he wouldn't shut up about how worried he was about the red-head.

Zer0 was leaning against a far wall, looking over everyone and listening intently. The others did say he was a good guy, even if he didn't really convey the image. He felt shy, bashful even, when their attention was turned his way. He was getting used to it when all he could feel was a burning gaze pinned on his forehead and dreaded to look up at Micheal. He knew it was Micheal because everyone was paying attention to Gaige. When Zer0 did look up, all he saw was a blank stare. Micheal had no expression, but that didn't stop Zer0 from trying to find any. He saw a few glimpses of surprise, fury, admiration, and a smidge of approval. Approval of what, Zer0 didn't know. Micheal noticed Zer0 looking back and gave the Assassin a small smile and a single nod.

Hours have passed and the other Vault Hunters were going to celebrate Gaige's return at Moxxi's. Gaige lead them all to the bar, while Zer0 helped Micheal through Sanctuary. They were far behind and Micheal took that oppertunity to stand up straight slightly and look Zer0 in the eyes.

"You know, I was wrong about you. From what Gaige has been telling me, you were some mysterious man that only cared about getting a kill. I thought you were just some guy that wouldn't mind hurting others in some way, as long as he got what he wanted." Micheal confessed.

_"I don_'t understand."Zer0 said with a red question mark hovering over his helmet.

"Being a father of a daughter means you have to watch out for men that could potentially break her heart. I wanted to protect her from everything since her mother died. Gaige kept going off about you whenever I asked about her friends. I was worried that she only liked you because you were covered in mystery, but now I can see that you're more than that. Now, this might be from all the pain meds you guys have given me, but I think you're alright. For now." Micheal said with a deadened expression.

He laughed at Zer0, who displayed a ":-O" on his helmet. Zer0 helped Micheal to Moxxi's, where Gaige's welcome-back-party was already started. Zer0 still had that nagging voice in the back of his head about the Mechromancer's father, but it was down to a dull purr. He decided to enjoy himself, up until the point of when he raised the front of his helmet a little bit to kiss Gaige, where Micheal snapped. All hell had broken loose and the daddy-daughter pair had only been on the hell-hole of planet for a few hours.

_Yep, I'm evil by making a cliffhanger. WHY?! So I can try to fix this disaster of a chapter. Seriously, I started this around the end of May, beginning of June, and thought this was a good start but then it ended like this.  
_

_Tell me if you like it, hate it, change something that doesn't make sense, and all that jazz. _


	4. Chapter 4

_So sorry about the wait, but it's currently hotter than hell itself where I am, so my brain has been reduced to mush and all the creativity has been replaced with the thought of, "What the hell did I do to deserve this hellish weather?!" . Anyways, sorry to leave you all on that awful cliffhanger, waiting to see what would happen next. _

~x~x~x~x~x~

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Micheal screamed as he stood up from his chair. Zer0 and Gaige pried their lips from each other in surprise. Micheal grimaced as he stood up, but promptly bent his back backwards, his spine emitting a loud and slightly horrid popping noise that went from the base of his spine all the way to his neck.

"Dad! Stop it!" Gaige whined. Micheal stood up fully and glared at Zer0.

"I gave you my respect as a man. I didn't give you my respect as a father. I've heard about what kind of man you are, and let me tell you, running from your past isn't going to get you anywhere. Look at what happened when I said Gaige could come home. She's been run down and almost killed by the police. I was almost killed several times by my own men just by trying to regain some shred of respect and honor from them." Micheal said in a low, threatening voice. "I'm not having you ruin anything for my daughter."

"DAD! STOP IT!" Gaige screamed. Everyone turned their attention to the two with mouths slightly gaped. "I'm an adult now. I can make decisions by myself. I want to be with Zer0 and there isn't anything you can do to stop me." Gaige had tears of anger spilling down her cheeks and under her chin. Zer0 had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around her and say everything is okay.

"I'm trying to help you!" Micheal shouted back. "This is how your mother acted before-"

"QUIT COMPARING ME TO HER! I am not mom!" Gaige all but screamed at her dad. "I want to be with him! I want to be around all of these people! Since I've been here, they've treated me like family since you couldn't be there. Stop doing this!"

Micheal gave her a considerate look before shaking his head.

"Gaige, you need to understand: He has killed countless people for what? A challenge? To be paid? It isn't even remotely right to be with a man like him after what he's done." Micheal said, some form of sympathy lacing his words.

"Mom stayed with you." Gaige mumbled, her attention now drawn to her shoes. Micheal looked taken back for a moment before he tried to speak up again. Zer0 cleared his throat and all eyes were on him. He shifted from foot to foot, searching for the right words to say.

_"Actually, Gaige has more than likely killed more people than I have in my time as an assassin. I did search for a challenge, and I've found it here. I helped take down Handsome Jack, the Warrior, and Hyperion itself. Since that last Vault opened, more dangerous creatures have revealed themselves and they're strong. I've had help, yes, but it has given me the satisfaction of a challenge well found and defeated." _Zer0 said as he stepped towards Micheal slightly.

Gaige's father was fuming, his face red in anger and his hands curled into fists. Zer0 mentally cringed, thinking why would an Assassin like him be so afraid of a man that is almost a foot and a half shorter than him. Gaige's eyes were wide in the fear that her father was going to kill Zer0, or vise versa.

"I don't care that **she** did. All I care about is that you have done it way before you came here. You may have killed countless innocent people just to get the satisfaction. You're sick. You're poison. I don't want you anywhere near my daughter again, hero or not." Micheal growled in an almost animalistic tone. Zer0 flinched psychically, making it that more obvious that he was afraid of Micheal.

_"So be it." _Zer0 said simply after regaining some shred of dignity.

"Zer0, please don't do this!" Gaige pleaded.

"Gaige..." Micheal warned. Gaige sighed in defeat before giving Zer0's hand a squeeze before walking out of the bar, away from everyone else. Micheal turned to glare at Zer0 before walking behind Gaige with a protective hand placed in the center of her back.

_**X~Three Hours Later~X  
**_

"I cannot believe that happened." Mordecai said with a glass of water in front of him while Zer0 pounded shot after shot of whiskey. "He's a terrible person for thinking that sending his daughter here was the safest place for her."

"Well... I guess I'm not one to judge, _hic_, but he's a dumbass for tearing us, _hic_, apart." Zer0 slurred, turning his last shot glass upside down.

"You might want to take it easy with the drinks, bud. You'll have one killer of a hangover in the morning." Mordecai said as he placed a hand on Zer0's shoulder. Something snapped in Zer0's mind, but all he wanted to do was find Gaige and get her away from Micheal.

"I'll be back at some point." Zer0 says, his speech still slurred. He stood up and made his way to the door with wobbly legs while Mordecai watched from his seat. After Zer0 struggled for a moment, Mordecai went over to him and slung the Assassin's arm over his shoulder. Mordecai helped drag Zer0 to his apartment and laid him on the bed, telling him he needs to be sober if he wants to go anywhere.

"I'll admit, it's fun to go out and kill things when your visions gone to shit, but right now I can see what you were gonna do. You were gonna talk to Gaige without Micheal knowin', but that isn't gonna happen. You're drunk off your ass and you'd be making the worst moves one could possibly make." Mordecai said as he shoved Zer0 back down sternly, looking slightly miffed. He removed Zer0's helmet in fear that he would blow chunks and possibly drown in it, and that wasn't a sight Mordecai wanted to see or envision.

"But Mordy! I need to see her!" Zer0 whined. Mordecai rolled his eyes and kept his hand on the center of Zer0's chest while he placed Zer0's helmet on the nightstand.

"Yeah, you can see her in the morning." Mordecai retorted. Zer0 tried to get back up, but Mordecai decided that pushing him down wasn't enough. He sprawled himself sideways on Zer0's chest, practically immobilizing Zer0.

"Get off of me! I need to, _hic_, to see her!" Zer0 said as he flailed uselessly.

"No! You are gonna screw everything up and I'm not letting that happen." Mordecai spat, glaring at the now still Zer0. After a moments silence, Mordecai looked away, but still kept Zer0 down. "I should know; I made the same mistake you were gonna make." He said quietly. Zer0 stopped struggling altogether and just stare as the Hunter traveled through pained memories. Zer0 huffed before deciding to sleep through his current drunken state.

~x~x~x~x~x~

The next morning, Zer0 woke up to a pounding headache and Mordecai sprawled on his back on Zer0's stomach. Zer0 groaned and grasped at his helmet-less head, squinting at the sunlight that blared through the open shades. He tried to move, but Mordecai was obstructing his movements.

"Get off." Zer0 growled as he shoved hard on Mordecai's arm. The Hunter stirred awake before looking over at Zer0, making no attempt to move or get off.

"Good morning." Mordecai said as he stretched slightly.

"GET OFF!" Zer0 yelled, trying to shove Mordecai away. Mordecai rolled his eyes and got up, walking over to the windows to close the blinds. Zer0 was slightly grateful, but more than pissed that Mordecai didn't move earlier. "How much did I have to drink?"

"Let's see," Mordecai said as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You had two beers, a glass of moonshine, four shots of whiskey, and a quarter of a bottle of Jack." He said as he counted off on his fingers. "You kept telling me your plans to get Gaige away from her dad just so you could be with her. Honestly, I thought you were gonna impale yourself on something way before you could even get remotely close to her."

Zer0 sat there with a horrified feeling spreading throughout his body. He could've made a fool out of himself in front of Micheal and Gaige, causing Gaige to hate him and getting himself killed at the hands of her father. He groaned and covered his face with his pillow.

"Why does he hate me?" Zer0 asked to no one in particular.

"Maybe because you were with his daughter before he knew you two were together?" Mordecai answered as if it were obvious.

"I don't understand." Zer0 growled from under his pillow.

"Fathers are really protective. Mostly fathers of daughters. They could rip you apart and you wouldn't even know until it was too late." Mordecai said as he leaned on the head board.

"Really?!" Zer0 asked in surprise.

"You seriously never been with anyone?" Mordecai asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I have, but I've never had to go through this!" Zer0 groaned. "Is this why I seem to be so... scared to be around him?" He asked hesitantly. Mordecai didn't say anything, only touching the side of his nose. Zer0 sighed and sat up fully and placed the pillow to the side. "This is some horrible romantic story, right?"

"I dunno, but please don't get me more involved." Mordecai pleaded. Zer0 just sat there, trying to think of how everything can be fixed when Mordecai cleared his throat. "How 'bout you try to figure out a way for Micheal to look at you in a better light." He offered.

"How do you think I should do that?" Zer0 asked bitterly.

"I have no idea. You come up with it." Mordecai said as he walked towards the door. He stopped and turned to him. "You can figure something out. Make it a challenge."

Zer0 glared as Mordecai walked out but knew he was right. Useless ideas and thoughts that wouldn't work out very well. He walked around his apartment aimlessly, trying to figure out what would be the best thing to do when he thought of it. Instead of actions, he was going to use words. After all, words had more of an effect than any action, if said right.

~x~x~x~x~x~

**_Damn it, Mordecai! You're Zer0's buddy in this story! Be there for his horrible romantic story!_**

**_Anyways, sorry for it being so short, but it's hot, I'm bitten from mosquitoes and feeling sick from it, and to top it off, I can't juggle me writing and getting feeling for characters from the video game itself at the same time. I'm trying to write different stories for this fandom, and I'm confusing different plots so I'm fustrated. _**

**_I will try to post more often, depending on your definition of "More Often". _**


	5. Chapter 5

_Yep, total asshole for not updating very often. To be honest, school is a pain in my ass and I can't really find the time to gain inspiration to write anything. Let's pick up where we left off, since it would make more sense.  
_

~x~x~x~x~x~

Zer0 paced the streets, trying to figure out where Gaige and Micheal would be staying. Every place he checked ended him empty handed. Thoughts start passing through his mind about how Micheal shouldn't have spoken for Gaige, how he shouldn't have dragged her away like she was caught doing something illegal. For God's sake, she unintentionally murdered a fellow student! Agitation crawled under Zer0's skin as he stalked back to the HQ, fury burning behind his eyes as he faced the others. Everyone turned their attention to the fuming assassin and immediately turned away, in fear he would unleash his anger on them.

_"Mordecai, come here/_

_I need to talk to you now/_

_It is important." _Zer0 growled at Mordecai, who was occupied with Talon. The Hunter was feeding the young bird and kissing it's head affectionately as it squawked in delight. Mordecai raised his head slowly with a empty expression and stared at Zer0.

"What is it?" He asked as if Zer0 didn't look like he wanted to decapitate everyone in the vicinity.

_"Help me find Gaige, please." _Zer0 said shortly. Mordecai swallowed loudly before clearing his throat.

"Why?" He almost sounded as if he didn't want to know.

_"I'm going to end this completely idiotic feud." _Zer0 nearly yelled. Mordecai sighed and looked down at the bird nibbling at the baby bottle in his hands.

"Maybe you should calm down." Mordecai said quietly.

_"What?"_ Zer0 demanded loudly. Talon shied away from the assassin into his father's arms and Mordecai looked irritated.

"You're mad, and I can understand, but if you go like this now, you'll fuck everything up." Mordecai warned, his voice low and almost barely audible. Zer0 looked taken back as Mordecai stroked Talon's head gently and muttered to the bird that everything was alright. Zer0 stood there and watched as Mordecai calmed the bird to the point where it was nearly asleep.

_"I'm... uh... just going to be out on the roofs then." _Zer0 said as he awkwardly shuffled to the exit. Maya looked up at him and called out.

"If you need to calm down, I could teach you how to meditate." The blue Siren offered. Zer0 turned to her and nodded his head.

~x~x~x~x~x~

"Sit down, feet on the ground." Maya ordered. Zer0 complied and watched ash she sat across from him. They both had made their way up to the rooftops where numerous buildings seemed to slowly morph into the next. "Now, focus your mind on only one phrase." Maya said simply.

_"What kind of phrase?" _Zer0 asked with his head cocked to the side. Maya sat there for a moment thinking before smiling.

"Something like, 'Everything is going to be okay', or something along those lines." Maya said with a wave of her hand.

_"This is... odd." _Zer0 muttered before situating himself more comfortably. He took a deep breath and started muttering, _"Everything's okay"_ over and over. Maya watched in earnest and smiled as Zer0 started to drift into his thoughts. All the negative thoughts surrounding his issues with Micheal were dissipating into the darker corners of his mind and all he could think of was how soft Gaige's smile was, how bright her green eyes were when she saw him at the train station in Lynchwood, how she held onto him as if she were afraid he would slip away. He wanted that again, to hold her close and revel in the smell of flowers with that hint of smoke.

He thought of how he was going to achieve this goal without being murdered brutally by Micheal. Maybe just walk up, unarmed, saying he only wanted to talk. He'll be honest, completely and thoroughly, but what if Micheal thinks he's lying? Maybe, just maybe, Gaige would be brave and calm enough to stand next to Zer0, saying that what he's saying is true. Zer0 can only hope for that outcome.

Zer0 was so far into his mind that he didn't realize that Maya was calling his name. He snapped his eyes open and to Maya, who was surprisingly close to his face.

"Man, you were gone for two hours. I thought you fell asleep." Maya said with a laugh. Zer0 placed both of his hands over his helmet and sighed. "You okay?" Maya asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

_"I am." _Zer0 looked around and took a deep breath. _"I know what I need to do." _Zer0 said calmly. Maya smiled warmly and stood up.

"Good. Now go do it." She said as she pushed Zer0 up and over towards the HQ.

~x~x~x~x~x~

_"Mordecai, can you help me?" _Zer0 practically begged. Mordecai was cradling Talon in his arms and just stared at Zer0.

"You aren't gonna freak out and kill him, are you?" Mordecai asked flatly.

_"Everything will be okay." _Zer0 promised. Mordecai raised an eyebrow in concern.

"How come I'm doubting that?" He asked.

_"You just have to trust me." _Zer0 stated bluntly. Mordecai sighed before standing up and started for the exit, motioning to Zer0 to join him. _"Will Talon be okay?" _Zer0 asked. Mordecai looked down at his bird and back at Zer0 before nodding his head.

"He won't be in any danger. So long as you and Micheal don't start a show down." Mordecai said before walking out the door, Zer0 close on his heels. They stopped at the Fast Travel and Zer0 watched as Mordecai plugged in the coordinates to Overlook. They went through the wormhole and stopped in the middle of the growing town.

_"They live here?" _Zer0 asked in genuine wonder.

"No, they live with the threshers down below." Mordecai sassed.

_"How do you know where they live?" _Zer0 questioned. Mordecai stopped and turned to Zer0 and sighed.

"When you were recovering from your hangover, I went to find them and Micheal actually told me where they lived. I told him that you were going to talk to him, but I said that you were going to wait for the water to settle before you did." Mordecai said.

_"You lied for me?"_ Zer0 asked in befuddlement.

"Did you want me to tell the truth?" Mordecai stopped and turned to look over his shoulder.

_"Not particularly." _Zer0 muttered. Mordecai laughed lightly before walking to a small bundle of shacks and huts.

"Be careful; Micheal's still pretty ticked about this whole situation." Mordecai warned. He rapped his knuckles on a hut with Gaige's signature anarchy symbol.

"Who's there?" Gaige's voice drifted from behind the cracked door. She sounded slightly distressed and a little irritated.

"Your boy-toy, but it's not me." Mordecai answered and stepped to the side to push Zer0 up to the door. Gaige slammed the door open and nearly toppled Zer0 over as she flung herself into his arms.

"Oh my God! I thought my dad murdered you!" Gaige cried as she clung to Zer0. He held her tight and nearly felt tears slip from his eyes. "What are you doing here?" Gaige asked as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

_"I'm actually here to talk to Micheal." _Zer0 said as he adjusted his arms around Gaige's waist. _"I want you back in my life. I need you." _Zer0 said as he squeezed Gaige.

"This is way too mushy for me." Mordecai said as he turned away. "I'll be back in a few to see if you're still alive." He walked down the stairs, waving a hand goodbye as he did so.

"So, what're you gonna do?" Gaige asked as she pulled away from Zer0 slightly. "He's not here right now."

_"Wait, I assume." _Zer0 said in confusion.

"Well, we can wait inside." She said as she motioned to the doorway. The inside was all but shabby, with one dirty couch in the corner with a gun crate used as some sort of table and two lawn chairs on the other side of the makeshift table. On the other side were two beds that looked like they've seen way better days. "You can sit on the couch, if you'd like. I'm sure he'll be back soon." Gaige offered. Zer0 sat down and took Gaige's hands in his own.

_"How have you been?" _Zer0 asked as if they were gone from each other for weeks. Gaige shrugged half-heartily and sighed.

"Dad won't let me talk about this, said that I don't know what I'm talking about. He's kind of a hypocrite, if you ask me." She muttered as she sat next to Zer0.

_"How so?" _Zer0 asked as he tightened his grip around her hands.

"He said that he liked you before we got to Moxxi's, but then he turned around and said that he doesn't want you to be with me because of what you are." Gaige said as irritation crept up in her voice. "I mean, why would he say he liked you then take it back? It's irritating!" She wailed. Just at that moment, Micheal stepped inside the house and his face turned dark.

"What're you doing here?" He demanded with beefy arms crossed over his chest. Zer0 stood up calmly and walked towards Micheal with palms up.

_"Please don't kill me. I just want to talk." _Zer0 said calmly. Micheal's gaze didn't waver and Zer0 swallowed the fear rising up from his stomach. _"I want to know why you changed your mind about me." _Zer0 asked. Micheal stared Zer0 down hard before sighing.

"Gaige is my only flesh and blood. I want what's best for her, even if it means protecting her at all costs. I didn't realize that sending her to Pandora wasn't the best of options, but it was the only available one at the time. Even knowing that she can survive on her own, I still don't want her hurt, or even worse: dead." Micheal said as he shifted his gaze to his shoes.

"I was in the DAHL military, before I met Gaige's mother, and I let all the glory I was getting get to my head. I became so hungry for the fame and power that I lost sight of what needed to be done and how things should've been. I got most of my group killed and the others wouldn't acknowledge my existence. When I met her mother, I decided to try and change how I did things, who I was before and be a better man for my family. I wanted Gaige to know that my actions and who I was morally in the past aren't what she should find in others. When she talked highly of you, I thought you had the same morals I had, and I wouldn't stand to see her go through that."

There was a moment of silence that seemed to be too overbearing and too loud, despite how ironic it may sound.

_"I understand where you are coming from. I'm a changed man, however, as I have grown to liking the others and consider them highly admirable allies. Or friends, however you put it." _Zer0 said with a shrug, just to break the silence. Micheal looked up at Zer0 and gave a small smile.

"I'll give you a chance, but I swear to whoever is near, you will be dead if you make Gaige cry or even slightly upset. Got it?" Micheal said as he pointed a finger at Zer0. The assassin backed up against the wall and held his hands up in surrender.

_"Whatever you say."_ Zer0 stuttered.

"Good, and I mean it. I don't care how good you are as an assassin, your blood will be on my hands one way or another." Micheal said before turning to Gaige. "I can safely assume you two want to go do something now?" He asked rhetorically. Gaige shot up from her seat and hugged Micheal tightly before dragging Zer0 outside and to the center of the town.

"So, what do you want to do?" Gaige asked.

_"What ever you want to." _Zer0 said lightly.

"I guess catch up a little, since we haven't really had a moment alone together." Gaige offered. They wandered the edges of the city, hand clasped in hand. Gaige talked about her time spent on Edan 5 and how it cured her homesickness and how fun it was to run from the police. Zer0 just told her how much he worried when she didn't call or when she was supposed to be back on Pandora. She blushed at how Zer0 kept telling her how much he missed her. They ran behind a building and she raised his visor to kiss him.

_"I've missed you so much." _Zer0 muttered with his forehead pressed to hers.

"So I've heard." She joked as she sealed her lips against his again.

~x~x~x~x~x~

**_SAPPY ENDING! Anyway, thanks for sticking next to this from the beginning, if you have. _**

**_Let me know how I did! _**

**_Sorry for how long it took... I know... I'm a bad llama. _**


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